Dry-sealing envelope or container



V. E. HEYWOOD DRY-SEALING ENvELoPE 0R CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 28, 1935 ...0)U. WCFV 9] 0:4. @rund bag Feb E3 394% V. El.HE-Ywoon 2,190,023

DRY-SEALING ENVELOPE 0R CONTAINER Filed Sept. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2BLAH K HARDWARE Patented Feb. 13, 194i) PATENT OFFICE 2.190.623 nar-semeElevators on. comentan Vincent E. Heywood, WorcesterrMass., assigner toUnited States Envelope Company, Springeld, Mass., a corporation of Maineapplication september as, icas, anni no. 442er:

1e anims.

The present invention 4relates to dry-sealing envelopes or containers,i. e., envelopes that are adapted to be sealed by bringing areas coatedwith a dry-sealing adhesive intonon-moistened 5 contact.

Dry-sealing envelopes, as heretofore .constructed, have beencharacterized by the application of dry-sealing adhesive to dierentcorrespondingly shaped areas, which has given rise to' l certaininherent dimculties in the manufacture and handling of the same. I norder to prevent premature contact of the dry-sealing adhesive coatedareas of such envelopes prior to vtheir loadingand sealing, it has beennecessary to provide either extra flaps, or to perform special foldingoperations, withresulting 4increase in the cost of manufacture.Furthermore, the utilization of extra flaps'and special foldingnecessitates unaccustomed manipulations of such envelopes by 20 theirusers in order to bring the adhesive areas into contact for sealing.

According to the present invention, there isy provided an` improveddry-sealing envelopey or container particularly characterized bytheapplication of a single area of dry-sealing to a blank, which adhesivearea, `by subsequent folding operations performed on the blank in theprocess of manufacture, is disposed within the lcwfnpleted envelope inposition to provide an efiective seal immediately upon bringingoverlying portions of this single adhesive area intornonmoistenedcontact, accompanied by pressure. The envelope of the present inventionis especially well adapted for use as a mailing container dit internalseal performs the dual function. of effectively closing the envelope, aswell as of providing a flat portion of double thickness which may bereadily written upon for addressing, even though the remainder of theenvelope is extremely bulky. The -above and other advantageous featuresof the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the followingdescription4 considered in connection with the accom- 45 panyingdrawings, in which- Fig.1 is a plan View of a blank for an envelope lembodying the invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a view of the blank .l'provided with tween lthe dry-sealingadhesive areas.

Fig. 3 shows the blank folded linto an envelope.- Fig. 4 is aperspective view illustrating the manner of loading the ,envelope and ofsealing the same.

for bulky material, since the completion of the means for preventing,premature contact be.

(Gl. mdb-dii) y Fig. 5 is a front view of the loaded and sealedenvelope.-

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the envelope ofFig. 5.

Fig. 'l is a plan view of a blank for a modied d form of envelope.

Fig. 8 shows the blank of Fig. 'l folded into a complete envelope. Fig.9 is a front view of the envelope of Fig. 8,

after loading and sealing. 10 Fig. 10 is a View of a container embodyingthe invention in the form of a finger bag. l

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the linger bag of Fig. 10, after beingloaded and sealed.

Like reference characters refer to like parts 15 in the dierent iigures.Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, a blank l comprising a body portion 2,side aps 3 and end nap is provided with a relatively Wide band ofadhesivet extending continuously-across one side of 90 the blank so asto cover contiguous portions of the body 2 and both side flaps 3. Theadhesive 5 is of such character that itwill adhere to itself uponnon-moistened contact, although it will not adhere to the material ofthe blank. Preferably, the adhesive is applied in the form of adispersed 'rubber solution, or as natural or compounded latex, theinvention also contemplating the use of other similar dry-sealingadhesives in the form of thermoplastics suchas arclor resins orgalyptols, either alone or in combination.

After the application and drying of the adhesive 5 on the blank l, aseparator strip 6 is positloned on the blank, as shown in Fig. 2, so asto cover that portion of the adhesive 5 applied to 35 the body 2 betweenthe score lines 1 extending along the junctions o1' the flaps 3 with thebody 2. The strip 6 is somewhat longer than the width of the adhesiveband measured lengthwise of the blank, with one end of the stripprojecting beo yond the right-hand edge of the blank, as viewed in Fig.2. Y

- The blank l, with the strip 8 positioned thereon as described above,is next acted upon by well-known folding and adhesive-applyinginstrumentalities which operate to convert the blank into a completeenvelope shown in Fig. 3, with the side flaps I and end nap 4 adhesivelyunited. When the naps I are folded into over-- lying relation, thedry-sealing adhesive l becomes a. continuous band extending completelyaround. the inside of the envelope. with the strip 6 eflectivelypreventing contact between overlying portions of the adhesive l.Furthermore, the

vany s is friamnanynela m 1a mami position u 2 p aiedoas within thecompleted envelope of Hg. 3, the natportion 6a of the strip is cut awayalong its sides,

so that it has the appearance of a sealing ap,

and this flap may be readily folded down into the dotted line positionof Fig. 3 to permit the con-v tainer to be packed in the usual manner.

As long as the strip 6 remains in the position of Fig. 3, with only itsap portion ta protruding, itis obvious that the envelope may be packedand handled without any possibility of the drysealing adhesive coatedareas within the envelope mouth coming into contact and thereby sealingthe envelope prematurely. Furthermore. with the ap 6a folded down, it isimpossible for dirt and dust to enter the envelope mouth at one side tocome into contact with the naturally tacky surface of the dry-sealingadhesive 5, and thereby impair the adhesion between these areas whenlater brought into nonmoistened contact. This latter featuredistinguishes dry-sealing envelopes embodying the present invention fromenvelopes of this general character heretofore prol velope, as shown inFig. 4. The extended flap' 3, it is seizedv between its longitudinaledges and pressure applied to'open the mouth of the en- 6a of the strip6 then .provides an extension of the mouth, which greatly facilitatesthe loading,

particularly when small articles are to be placed f therein, such aspieces of hardware. `'I'he user then, while still holding the loadedenvelope in one hand, seizes the flap 8a between fingers of the otherhand and pulls out the strip 8 with a quick jerk, as is also indicatedin Fig. 4. The loaded envelope can then be quickly and completely sealedby pressing together the walls of the container at its open en d. Thisoperation brings opposed portions of the dry-sealing adhesive band 5into contact, so that immediate adhesion results between the envelopewalls over a considerable area at one end of the envelope. For theconvenience of the user, the rear wall of the envelope may be providedwith a mark 8 and suitable printing 9 indicating that the envelope canbe sealed by merely pulling out the strip 6 and pressing the wallstogether beyond the line .8. Y i

The loaded and sealed envelope then appears as shown in Figs. 5 and 6,from which it is evident that the sealed area of double thickness at oneend, by reason of its dat surface asgcompared to the remainder of theenvelope, may be easily written upon for the purpose of addressingtheenvelope. Postage stamps may also be readily applied to this same flatsurface when the envelope is used for lmailing purposes, and obviouslythe envelope will meet the ready approval of postal authorities, owingto the ease with which the stamps may be cancelled.

ing for a considerable distance beyond the' ady hesive 5' and ofsubstantially the same width asthe body 2. The ap II is joined to the.as is provided customers in stores body 2' Aby a line of perforationsIl, and also provides a score line I2 located at a greater distance fromthe perforations II than is the lefthand margin of the band of adhesive5.

In the formation of the blank I' into an en- 6 velope, the i'lap I0 isfirst folded toward the body 2' along the perforations I I and then isreversely folded along the score line I2, so that two layers of the apIll cover that portion of the adhesive 5' which is located on the body2. 'I'he 10 .aps 3' and 4 are then folded from the dotted line positionsof Fig. 8 into the full line positions, and are adhesively securedtogether to form a complete envelope. II'he overlying portions ofdry-sealing adhesive 5 in the envelope are then 16 completely separatedby reversely folded portions of the flap I0, with a considerable portionof the flap Iii extending beyond the open mouth of the envelope. y

The envelope of Fig. 8 may then be loaded 20 and sealed in substantiallythe same manner as previously described with reference to the envelopeshown in Fig. 4, it being noted that pulling out of the ap I0 extendsthe same, as shown in Fig. 9. The flat sealed portion of the envelopemay then be readily written upon, and postage stamps applied asindicated, and any portion of the fully extended flap ,I6 may be writtenupon at the same time, as by placing shipping memoranda thereon, asindicated. The flap I0 is then torn from the loaded and sealed containeralong the perforations II.

Referring now to Figs. 10 and l1, there is showna container I3 in theform of a nger bag, such for carrying articles of merchandise. The bagI3 can' be readily made from a blank similar to the blank I, with thenormally closed end of the bag provided with a finger opening I4,suitably reinforced by inside patches I5, and extending through both lwalls of the bag. As shown bythe broken-away portion of Fig. 10,. thenormally open end of the bag is surrounded inside by a continuous bandof dry-sealing adhesive I6 of the character previously described, and astrip I'I disposed between 45 overlying adhesive areas in themanufacture of the bag provides a iiap I'Ia. When thel bag I3 has beenloaded through its open end, thestrip I'I is removed by pulling the flapIla, and the bag sealed by pressing the overlying adhesive areastogether. The loaded and sealed bag may then be reversed, as shown inFig. 11,l and readily carried by placing one or more ngers through thefinger opening Il.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by the I present invention thereis provided an improved dry-sealing envelope or container characterizedby the provision of a single area of dry-sealing adhesive disposed as acontinuous band within the envelope mouth, with opposed portions norwmally separated by a strip, whichmay be readily seized and removed.,Inthe. packing and handling of the envelope or container, the protrudingstrip, or separator, functions as a seal flap in preventing the accessof dirt and dust to the u dry-sealing adhesive areas, but upon remove1ofv the strip, sealing is quickly accomplished by pressing thepreviously separated adhesive coated portions together to form a flatclosed end of double thickness which may be readily written upon.

I claim: l

1. An envelope or container having a single opening and provided withoppositely facing areas j of dry-sealing 1 adhesive entirely inside theenvelope opening and normally maintained out of sealing contact byaremovable portion partially disposed within said opening.

2. An envelope or container having a singleA projecting beyond the openend of the envelope.

4. An envelope or container open at one end and provided with oppositelyfacing areas of dry-sealing adhesive entirely inside the walls at theopen end of the envelope and normally maintained out of sealing contactby a removable portion partially projecting beyond the open end of theenvelope and partially held by friction between said areas within saidopening.

5. An envelope or container open at one end and provided with oppositelyfacing areas of drysealing adhesive entirely inside the walls at theopen end of the envelope and normally separated by a portion disposedtherebetween, which portion upon removal from. the envelope permits saidareas to be pressed into sealing contact.

6. A closure for an envelope or container, comprising "acontinuousbandof adhesive extending around the Vwalls and disposedentirely inside of moistened contact, the envelope being normallylmaintained in open condition by a removable separator frictionally heldbetween opposed portions of said internal adhesiveA band.

8. A. closure for an envelope or container,

'comprising a lcontinuous band of adhesive extending around the wallsand disposed entirely inside of the envelope opening, said adhesivebeing of a character adapted to adhere to itselfupon non-moistenedcontact, the envelope being nor-s mally maintained in open conditionby aseparator disposed between opposed portions of said adhesive band, withremoval of said separator after loading of-the envelope permitting theenvelope to be sealedY by the application of external pressure alone.

9. An envelope or container made from a blank having a band ofdry-sealing adhesive applied thereto, which band by folding of the blankis disposed entirely inside the open mouth of the completed envelope,with oppositelyv facing por- .tions of said dry-sealing adhesive heldout of yond the envelope mouth, said ap being initially folded withrespect to said wall to dispose a portion thereof inside the envelopemouth for separating the oppositely facing dry-sealing adhesivecoatedportions of the envelope walls.

l1. An envelope or container made from a blank having a band ofdry-sealing adhesive applied along one edge thereof and a free flapextending Trom said edge beyond said adhesive band, folding of saidblank and ilap serving to dispose said band entirely inside the openmouth of the completed envelope, with oppositely `iacing portions ofsaid dry-sealing adhesive held out of sealing contact by a foldedportion of said 35 to facilitate removal of the folded portions of saidnap from between said dry-sealing adhesive portions. VINCENT E. HEYWOOD.

